Esophageal motility disorders in children with dysphagia: the utility of the Chicago classification.

BACKGROUND: esophageal manometry is the standard criterion for the evaluation of dysphagia and the diagnosis of a primary motor disorder of the esophagus in adults and children.

AIMS: to describe the diagnosis according to the Chicago classification (CC) v3.0 in children with dysphagia, in whom an esophageal motility disorder was documented. The associated comorbidities were also determined.

METHODS: an observational retrospective study was performed of 54 patients evaluated for dysphagia, who had undergone a high-resolution manometry (HREM).

RESULTS: a normal HREM was found in 52 % (n = 28) of the children, whereas 48 % (n = 26) had some esophageal motility disorder. The most frequent diagnosis was ineffective esophageal motility and achalasia. Excluding previously healthy children, most children had a history of autoimmune disease and intellectual disability.

CONCLUSIONS: an esophageal motor disorder can be diagnosed in nearly half of infants and children with dysphagia. In this study, all esophageal diseases could be classified according to the CC v3.0. HREM should be considered for the evaluation of children with dysphagia, in addition to other studies.